ST. LOUIS – Gabe Gore was officially sworn in on Tuesday as the new St. Louis Circuit Attorney, just two weeks after Kim Gardner unexpectedly stepped down.
Gore said he plans to hit the ground running. The ceremony was held at the Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis. Missouri Supreme Court Judge Robin Ransom administered the oath of office.
Gore vowed to restore law and order to the office and address the backlog of cases.
“My philosophy is to look at the facts and enforce the laws as they are written,” he said.
Gore worked at the law firm Dowd Bennett for more than a decade. He also served as Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Missouri and he earned a law degree from the University of Chicago.
Gore was named to the Ferguson Commission after the unrest of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in 2014.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson appointed Gore on May 19 following the abrupt resignation of former Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey wanted Gardner removed as cases piled up in the Circuit Attorney’s Office.
Many leaders were in attendance, including St. Louis police Chief Robert Tracy and St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell to show support.
“Even when we get this circuit attorney’s office up and running, we are still going to need to work regionally.,” Bell said. “We still need to work together, the entire goal is public safety.”
“In the criminal justice system, we all have to work together. We have to make sure that we are not having conflict in the press,” Tracy said. “We have to make sure everything we do is professional and a lot of our conversation should happen behind close doors.”
The newly installed Gore announced the hiring of Marvin Teer, Jr.
“Marvin is a huge asset to this office, and he’s already on the job ready to get cases moving and start clearing the backlog,” Gore said. “I am excited to have Marvin join us in the hard work that we have ahead of us. I know he will work tirelessly to help make St. Louis a safer place to live.”
Teer brings more than 30 years of experience in state and local prosecutors’ offices. He has also served as a judge in the City of St. Louis. Gore and Teer served together on the Ferguson Commission.
Gore’s appointment is until the election in 2024.